Shoveling-machine



H. McDERMOTT. shovume MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 15 I919.

PatentedSept. 27, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I- H. McDERMOTT.

SHOVEUNG MACHINE.

APPLICATLON FILED MAY 15. I919.

PatentedSept. 27,1921.

3 SHEETSSHEE T 2- H. McDERMOTT. SHOVELING MACHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15- 1919.

a suns-sum a.

PatentedSept. 27, 1921.

- -Wwu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY MCDERMOT'I, OF IRON RIVER,

IVIICIIEIIIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO McD-ERMOTT MICHIGAN.

SHOVELING-MACHINE.

Application filed May 15,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY MCDERMOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing Iron River, in the county of Iron and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in shoveling-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to machines for scooping up and loading, removing or transferring various materials such as ore, coal, rock, gravel, sand, etc. I

Its main objects are to facilitate excavating, removing, transferringor loading ore or other material, particularly in mines, subways, trenches or the like, where there is insufficient room tooperate cumbersome apparatus such as steam or power shovels, and generally to improvethe construction and operation of machines of this class.

It consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like char acters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine, parts being broken away; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal. section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2, of the middle portion of the machine; Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation of the machine; and Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged detail views of the speed reducing gearing in the conveyer transmission, Fig. 5 being a horizontal section on the line 55, Fig. 6, and Fig. 6 an inside elevation on a smaller scale, parts being broken away.

The machine comprises three main parts or sections, a truck or carriage, a digging head or scoop frame, and a conveyer, which can be readily taken apart and reassembled to. facilitate transferrin the machine from one place to another, particularly under ground from one mine level to another.

The truck or carriage comprises a plat form or frame 1, provided with supporting and propelling wheels- 2, mounted on axles 3, and usually flanged, grooved or otherwise formed to run shown in Fig. 1.

A horizontally swinging frame or turn Specification of Letters Patent.

on track rails 4, as

Patented Sept. 27, 1921. 1919. Serial No. 297,219.

table 6, is pivotally mounted on the truck frame 1, as shown in Fig. 3, the frame 6 being connected with the truck frame by a shouldered pivot pin 7 having reduced threaded ends provided with nuts for holding the parts together.

To support the frame 6 and parts of the machine mounted thereon, more firmly, and to facilitate their swinging movement, said frame and the truck frame 1 on which it is mounted, are preferably provided concentric with the pivot pin 7, with ball races or roller bearings, between which are interposed balls or rollers 8.

The digging head or scoop frame comprises two substantially triangular side members 10, which are detacha'bly and adjustably bolted tostandards 11 at the front end of the frame 6, and form therewith when assembled, a rigid unitary frame or structure adapted to turn bodily on the truck frame 1 around the pivot pin 7. The frame members 10 are adjacent to their up per corners provided with. transversely alined bearings for a cross shaft 14, on which are mounted between the frame members, sprocket or chain wheels 15. Adjacent their lower front corners, the frame members 10 are provided with transversely alined and horizontally adjustable bearings 16 for a cross shaft 17, on which are mounted between the frame members, sprocket or chain wheels 18. Behind and parallel with the shaft 17 studs 20 are secured in said frame members and are provided with sprocket or chain wheels 21. Below and in advance of the upper chain wheels 15 sprocket or guide wheels 23 are mounted on the inner sides of the frame members 10 in vertical parallel planes with the sprocket wheels 15,18 and 21.

Link or chain bolts 25 are mounted parallel with each other on said wheels and extend upwardly and rearwardly from the lower front wheels 18 around the upperwheels 15, thence forwardly over the guide wheels 23, and thence downwardly and for wardly around the rear lower wheels 21, from which they run in an approximately horizontal direction to the wheels 18.

One or more scoops or buckets 27, are carried by the belts 25, each scoop or bucket having pivot and link connections 28 and 29, on each side thereof adjacent its back with different links or parts of one of the belts, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 these connections permitting the belts to freely bend and straighten as the scoops pass around the supporting and guiding chain or belt wheels, and turning them into and holding them in position to take up material as they pass below the wheels 21 and around the wheels 18 and in position to discharge the material as they pass over and around the upper wheels 15. r

The bearings 16 are adjusted and secured in adjusted position by screws 31, inserted in the frame members 10 and held in place therein by nuts 32, for taking up slack in the belts 25' or adjusting them to properly run on the chain or belt wheels and properly carry the scoops or buckets.

The digging edges of the scoops or buckets 27 are provided, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, with detachable and renewable toothed plates'or sections 33.

The link or chain belts 25 are driven continuously in one direction, and the scoops or buckets 27 are operated by a suitable motor, in the present case an electric motor, 35, mounted on and movable with the swinging frame or turn table 6. This motor is operatively connected with the upper chain or belt wheels 15, as follows:

The motor shaft is connected, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, by bevelgears 37 with a longitudinal shaft 38, extending along one side of and supported by the frame 6. The shaft 38 is provided with a worm 40, which meshes as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, with a. worm gear 41 on a cross shaft 42, having bearings in the standards 11. At the end opposite the worm gear 41, the shaft 42 is provided with a chain or sprocket wheel 44, which is connected by a link or chain belt 45 with a chain or sprocket wheel 46 on the shaft 14.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a. sprocket or chain wheel 48, carried by an arm 49 pivotally mounted on one of the frame members 10 and connected by a turn buckle 50 with said member, is arranged to take up slack in the chain or belt 45.

A hopper 52 is supported below the overhanging chain or belt wheels 15, and above and in approximate vertical alinement with the pivot axis of the swinging frame 6, by a yoke or stand 53, which is centrally fastened on the upper end of the pivot pin 7, and rigidly connected thereby with the truck frame 1, as shown in Fig. 3. The discharge opening in the bottom of the hopper directly above the pivot pin 7 extends through the rear side of the hopper, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The conveyer, comprising a jointed or sectional frame 55 and an endless traveling belt 56, extends upwardly and rearwardly from the hopper 52 beyond the rear end of the truck frame 1, from which it is supported by uprights 57 and 58.

The frame 55 is hinged at its front end to rear'wardly projecting arms 60 on the hopper, by a cross rod 61, and the sections of the frame are hinged together by a cross rod 62, so that by removing bolts which hold the sections in alinement with each other and with the arms 60 on the hopper, th rear overhanging end of the conveyer can be turned down, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, to facilitate transferring the machine from one place to another, particularly for underground work.

The sections of the conveyer frame are rigidly supported in operative position by brackets 64 on the upper ends of the up- H rights 57 connected by removable bolts with the intermediate sections, brackets 65, fastened to the intermediate sections and connected by a removable rod or bolts with the upper ends of the uprights 58, and coupling plates 66, connecting the intermediate and rear sections.

The belt 56 is mounted and runs at its front end on a cylindrical roller 68, mounted in the lower part of the hopper 52 below and in front of its discharge opening, and at its rear end on a similar roller 69 mounted in adjustable bearings 70, adjacent the rear end of the conveyer frame, and adjusted lengthwise thereof by screws 71.

The upper run of the belt 56 is guided and held in concave or trough shape for holding the material delivered thereon from the hopper, by obliquely disposed transverse guide rollers 73, mounted at intervals in the conveyer frame and in the lower part of the hopper below its discharge opening, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The lower run of the belt is supported and guided on rollers 74. Vhen the elevator is turned down, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, it is supported by the brackets 65 resting on a cross bar 76 fastened to the uprights 58.

The frame 6 with the digging head or frame 10 and the scoops 27, are swung from side to side, the conveyer belt 56 is driven and the truck is propelled, by a suitable motor, such as an electric motor 7 8 mounted on the rear end of the truck frame 1.

The motor 78 is operatively connected with the swinging frame 6, the conveyer belt 56 and the rear truck wheels 2, by the following transmission mechanism:

A' pair of connected bevel friction wheels 80, splined on the motor shaft 81, are shiftable by a lever 82 into and out of engagement with opposite sides of a bevel friction wheel 83 on a longitudinal shaft 84. The shaft 84 is provided with a pinion 86, meshing with a gear 87,-loosely mounted on a shaft 88, which is mounted in the truck frame below and parallel with the shaft 84, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. The shaft 88 is provided with a worm 90, meshing with a worm gear 91, fastened to the under side of the swinging frame 6 concentric with the pivot pin 7, as shown in Fig. 3.

A clutch 93, splined on the shaft 88, is shiftable by a hand lever 94, into and out of engagement with a corresponding clutch member on the hub of the gear 87 The shaft 84 is provided with a worm 96 meshing, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, with a worm gear 97 on a shaft 98, parallel with the motor shaft 81 and with the truck axles 3.

The shaft 98 is provided with a sprocket wheel 100, loosely mounted thereon and connected by a link belt with a sprocket wheel 101 on the rear axle 3 of the truck.

A clutch member 103, splined on the shaft 98, is shiftable by a lever 104, into and out of engagement with a corresponding clutch member on the hub of the sprocket wheel 100.

The motor shaft 81 is provided, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, with a pinion 106, meshing with a planetary gear 107, meshing with a fixed internal gear 108, and journaled on a crank 109, which is loosely mounted with a sprocket wheel 110 on the shaft 81. The sprocket wheel 110 is connected by a link belt, indicated by dotted lines, with a sprocket wheel 112 on a short shaft carried y an angular arm 113, which is pivotally mounted on one side of the conveyer frame 55, and is connected therewith by an adjusting screw and nuts114, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. On the shaft of the sprocket wheel 112 is also fixed a sprocket wheel 116, which is connected by a link belt with a s rocket wheel 117 on the shaft of the roller 69. The internal gear 108 forms a part of a housing which is bolted to the truck frame and incloses the speed reducing gearing shown in Figs. 5 and 7 in the transmission from the motor 78 to the conveyer belt 56. By the adjustment of the nuts on the screw 114 the sprocket Wheels 112 and 116 are shifted lengthwise of the conveyer to take up slack in and adjust the tension of the belt .connecting the sprocket wheel 116 with the sprocket wheel 117.

The gear units or groups of the several transmissions are inclosed by housings, as shown, to protect them from dirt and water.

To hold the machine against backward movement on the track rails 4 when the scoops are working, a brake shoe 119 is suspended by links from the truck frame 1 and connected with a foot lever 120, as shown in Fig. 1.

The supply of current and the operation of the motors 35 and 78 are governed and regulated by controllers 122 and 123, mounted on the truck frame, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the machine, it is moved forward on the track rails 4 when the motor 78 is running, by shifting the clutch member 103 with the lever 104 into engagement with the sprocket wheel 100, and by shifting the proper friction wheel 80 with the lever 82, into engagement with the friction wheel 83, thereby operatively connecting the motor with the axle 3 of the rear truck wheels 2, the clutch member 93 being disengaged from the gear 87. When the digging head is brought into proper posi tion for the operation of the scoops 27, the clutch member 103 is disengaged from the sprocket wheel 100 and the brake shoe 119 is dropped on the track rail 4 below it, and thrust forward against the adjacent truck wheel 2 by turning the foot lever 120 backward and downward, thereby preventing the thrust of the scoops as they are moved forward on the under side of the digging head from forcing the machine bodily backward.

The motor 35 operating through the transmission connections hereinbefore described, drives the chain or link belts 20 with the scoops 27 continuously in the same direction, and as each scoop passes, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 1, below and around the wheels 21 and 18, it takes up a load, which it carries upwardly and rearwardly over the upper wheels 15. In passing over the wheels 15, the scoop is inverted and discharges its load into the hopper 52, from which it is delivered and distributed uponthe upper run of the conveyer belt 56. From the rear overhanging end of the conveyer the mate rial is discharged into cars.

The digging head or frame 10 is swung sidewise to excavate or take up all the material within the reach of the scoops when the machine is standing in a given position, by shifting the proper friction wheel 80 into engagement with the friction wheel 83 by means of the lever 82, and shifting the clutch member 103 by means of the lever 104 into engagement with the sprocket wheel 100, thus operatively connecting the motor 78 with the swinging frame 6, to which the digging head 10, carrying the scoops 27 is attached. The digging head is swung in the opposite direction by shifting the other driving friction wheel 80 into engagement with the driven friction wheel 83. After all the material within reach of the scoops when the machine is standing in a certain position, has been removed. th machine is advanced an interval and the operations above described repeated.

When all the material has been removed, the machine is run bodily backward out of the way on the track 4, the brake shoe 119 having been withdrawn from engagement with the truck wheel 2 and rail 4 by turning th lever 120 upward. and forward, and the motor 78 being operatively connected with the rear truck wheels by shifting the proper driving friction wheel 80 into engagement with the driven friction wheel 83, and t-he clutch member 103 into engagement with the sprocket wheel 100.

The friction wheels 80 and 83 serve as reversing gear or mechanism for both the transmissions from the motor 78 to the propelling wheels of the truck for running the machine forward or backward on the track and to the frame 6 for swinging the digging head with the scoops sidewise in either direction.

To facilitate taking the machine apart and reassembling it for transportation and for lowering it into a mine or shaft and transferring it from one level or location to another under ground, the shaft 38 in the transmission from the motor 35 to the scoops or digging head, is made in sections, which are connected by a coupling 125, as shown in Fig. 2. The levers 82, 94 and 104, controlling the several transmissions for propelling the truck, operating the scoops, and driving the conveyer belt, the brake lever 120 and the controllers 122 and 123, are all located at one side of the machine within convenient reach of the operator standing in a position to observe and control the various operations of the machine.

The hopper 52 is provided with a renewable section 127, against or close to which the conveyer belt 56 runs on the front side of the discharge opening, and which may be made of steel. or a harder or more durable metal thanthat of which the body of the hopper is made.

The digging head or frame 10 may be adjusted vertically, so that the scoops will excavate or take up material at the desired level or different levels, in passing below and around the chain or belt wheels 21 and 18, by loosening the nuts on the bolts which fasten it to the standards 11 of the swinging frame 6, and which pass through vertically slotted holes in one of the connected parts such as the side members of the digging head, as indicated by dotted lines in 3, and by then raising or lowering the head or frame 10 as required. the adjoining faces of the side members of the digging head and the standards 11 being serrated as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to hold them securely in their adjusted relation when the nuts on the bolts are tightened.

Various modifications in the construction and arrangement of parts of the machine may be made without departure from the principle and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a shoveling machine the combination of a truck, a frame mounted on the truck and provided in the lower and upper parts thereof with transversely alined bearings, shafts mounted in said bearings and provided with belt wheels, belts mounted on said wheels with their upper runs extending obliquely upward and rearward from the lower wheels, guide wheels mounted on-said frame below the upper wheels and arranged to direct the lower runs of'the belts forwardly from the upper wheels, a scoop connected with the belts and adapted in passing the lowerwheels to take up material and in passing over the upper wheels to discharge the material, and amotor for driving the belts and operating the scoop.

2. In a shoveling machine the combination of a truck, a frame mounted on the truck and provided in the upper and lower-parts thereof with transversely alined bearings, shafts mounted in said bearings and provid ed with belt wheels, belts mounted on said wheels with their upper runs extending obliquely upward and rearward from the lower wheels, guide wheels mounted on said frame and arranged to direct the lower runs of the belts forwardly from the upper wheels, guide wheels mounted on said frame behind the lower front wheels and arranged to direct the lower runs of the belts thereto in an approximate horizontal direction, a scoop connected with the belts and adapted in passing the lower wheels to take up material and in passing over the upper wheels to discharge thematerial, and amotor fordriving the belts and operating the scoop.

3. In a shoveling machine the combination of a truck, a frame mounted thereon and provided in the upper of with on said tending and lower parts therechain wheels, chain belts mounted wheels with their upper runs exobliquely upward .and rearward, guiding wheelsmounted on said frame below the upper wheels and arranged to direct the lower runs of the belts forwardly therefrom, a scoop connected with the chains, a hopper mounted on the truck below the upper chain wheels in position to receive material discharged from the scoop in passing over the upper chain wheels, a downwardly folding endless conveyer mounted on the truck and extending normally upward and rearward from the hopper to a level above the upper chain wheels, means for holding the conveyer in normal position, and means for actuating the scoop and conveyer.

4. In a shoveling machine the combination of a truck, a horizontally swinging frame pivotallymounted thereon, a scoop frame detachably fastened to said swinging frame and overhanging the front end of the truck frame, chain wheels mounted in the upper and lower parts of the scoop frame, chain belts mounted on said wheels, a scoop connected with said belts and carried thereby in position as it passes the lower wheels to take up .material and in position as it passes the upper wheels to discharge the material, a hopper mounted on the truck below the upper chain wheels, and a conveyer comprismg a JOlIltGCl downwardly folding frame mounted on and extending normally upward and rearward beyond the truck and above the upper chain wheels, and an endless conveyer belt carried by said frame with its upper run passing below the discharge opening of the hopper.

5. In a shoveling machine the combination of a truck, a horizontally swinging frame pivotally mounted on the truck and provided with standards, a vertically adjustable scoop frame rigidly and detacliably fastened to said standards, overhanging the front end of the truck frame and provided with lower and upper belt wheels, belts mounted on said wheels, a scoop connected with said belts and carried thereby as they pass around the lower wheels in position to take up material and as they pass over the upper wheels to discharge the material, and a motor adapted to drive said wheels and belts and to operate the scoop.

6. In a shoveling machine the combination of a truck, a head or frame mounted on the truck and provided in the lower and upper parts thereof with alined bearings, the lower bearings being adjustable toward and from the truck, cross shafts mounted in said bearings and provided with belt wheels, belts mounted on said wheels with their upper runs extending upwardly and rearwardly from the lower wheels to the upper wheels, guide wheels mounted in said head or frame below the upper wheels and arranged to direct the lower runs of the belts forwardly from the upper wheels, a scoop connected with and carried by the belts and adapted in passing the lower wheels to take up material and in passing over the upper wheels to discharge the material, and a motor adapted to drive said wheels and belts and to operate the scoop.

7. In a shoveling machine the combination of a truck, a horizontally swinging frame pivotally mounted on the truck and provided with lower and upper belt wheels, the upper wheels being located rearwardly relative to the lower wheels, belts mounted on said wheels with their upper runs extending upwardly and rearwardly from the lower wheels to the upper wheels, guide wheels mounted in said frame below and in advance of the upper wheels and adapted to direct the lower runs of the belts forwardly from the upper wheels, a scoop connected with said belts, a hopper mounted on the truck below the upper belt wheels, an endless belt conveyer mounted on said truck below the hopper and extending rearwardly therefrom beyond the truck, transversely and obliquely disposed rollers arranged to support and guide the upper run of the belt conveyer in trough-form, a motor mounted on the swinging frame and adapted to operate the scoop, and a motor mounted on the truck and adapted to operate the conveyer,

8. In a shoveling machine the combination of a truck, a horizontally swinging frame pivotally mounted on the truck and provided with a worm gear concentric with its pivot axis, a motor mounted on the truck, transmission mechanism comprising a worm meshing with the worm gear and reversing mechanism between the motor and worm, a digging head rigidly attached to theswing- 111g frame and overhanging the truck, belt wheels mounted in the front and lower part of the digging head and in the upper part thereof, belts mounted on said wheels, a scoop connected with the belts, and a motor mounted-on the swinging frame and operatively connected with some of the belt wheels.

9. In a shoveling machine the combination with a truck provided with supporting and propelling wheels, a horizontally swinglng frame pivotally mounted on the truck and provided with upper and lower belt wheels, belts mounted on said belt wheels, a scoop connected with and carried by said belts in position to take up material as it passes the lower wheels and in position to discharge the material as it passes the upper wheels, a motor mounted on said frame and connected with some of said belt wheels for operating the scoop, a motor mounted on the truck, transmission mechanism comprising branch transmissions and reversing mechanism for connecting said motor either with the propelling wheels of the truck or with the swinging frame, and clutches in the branch transmissions for rendering either of them operative or inoperative.

10. In a shoveling machine the combina tion of a truck provided with supporting and propelling wheels, a horizontally swinging frame pivotally mounted on the truck, upper and lower belt wheels mounted in the swinging frame, belts mounted on said Wheels, a scoop connected with the belts, a motor mounted on the swinging frame and connected with some of the belt wheels for operating the scoop, a hopper mounted on the truck below the upper belt wheels, an endless belt conveyer extending rearwardly from the hopper, a motor mounted on the truck, transmission mechanism comprising clutch controlled branch transmissions and reversing mechanism for operatively con-- necting the truoki motor wvith either the swinging frame or the propelling wheels of the truck, and transmission mechanism comprising speed reducing gearing connecting the truck motor with the conveyer.

11. In a shoveling machine the combination of a truck, a horizontally swinging frame pivotally mounted on the truck and provided with upper and lower belt wheels, belts mounted on said wheels, a scoop connected with and carried by the belts, a hop per located below the upper belt wheels and having a yoke on the under side connected with the truck by the pivot pin which connects the swinging frame with the truck, an endless conveyer carried by the truck between the hopper and its yoke and extending therefrom rearwardly, and a motor mounted on the truck and connected with the oonveyer.

12. In a shoveling machine the combination of a truck, a horizontally swinging frame mounted on the truck and provided with upper and lower belt wheels, belts mounted on said wheels, a scoop connected with and carried by the belts, a scoop operating motor mounted on the swinging frame, a hopper mounted on the truck frame below the upper belt wheels, apivot pin connecting the swinging frame with the truck below and the hopper above it, an endless conveyer mounted on the truck and extending rearwardly from the hopper, and a motor.

mounted on the truck and connected with the conveyer.

13. In a shoveling machine the combination of truck, a horizontally swinging frame pivotally mounted thereon and provided with lower front and upper rear belt wheels, oelts mounted on said wheels with their upper runs extending upwardly and rearwardly from the lower to the upper wheels, guide wheels mounted in said frame below and in advance of the upper wheels and arranged to direct the lower runs ofthe belts forwardly from the upper wheels, a scoop connected with and carried by the belts, a hopper mounted below the upper belt wheels and over the pivot connection between the truck and swinging frame, a conveyer mounted on the truck and extending rearwardly from the discharge opening of the hopper, a motor mounted on 'the swinging frame for operating the scoop and a motor mounted on the truck for operating the conveyer.

14 In a shoveling machine the combination of a truck, a frame mounted thereon and providedin the lower front part thereof with two pairs of belt wheels, one pair behind the other, in the upper part thereof and behind the lower wheels with a pair of belt wheels, and below and in advance of the upper wheels with a pair of guide wheels, belts mounted on said wheels and extending from the front lower wheels upwardly and rearwardly over the upper wheels, from the u per wheels forwardly over the guide w eels and from the guide wheels downwardly around the rear lower wheels, a

scoop carried by said belts, and a motor connected with some of the belt wheels for operating the scoop.

In witness whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

' HENRY MoDERMOTT. 

